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28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best Poetry Anthology Ever?, April 19, 2006
This review is from: Poet's Choice (Hardcover)
I prefer anthologies for my intermittent poetry reading jags, so the role of editor is important. And after looking through POET'S CHOICE, I think that a case could be made that Edward Hirsch is the most auspicious choice for poetry editor/scholar that one could make.
In POET'S CHOICE, Hirsch has brought together material from his "Poet's Choice" columns to run alongside both international poems (which comprise one half of the book) and the work of American poets (the other half.) POET'S CHOICE is further organized into chapters exploring subgenres of poetry that a layperson would not ordinarily encounter. The odd thing is, Hirsch's introductory essays are so good, one can spend as much time enjoying his prose as the poems themselves!
By providing this accessible context and thought-provoking analysis with terrific poetry, Hirsch has compiled a truly excellent book. It's sublime reading both for the short term and for the long haul as well.
Just for fun, the following is a poem by the late William Matthews, which lays out the "Four Subjects of Poetry":
1. I went out in the woods today, and it made me feel, you know, sort of religious.
2. We're not getting any younger.
3. It sure is cold and lonely...
(a.) without you, honey.
(b.) with you, honey.
4. Sadness seems but the other side of the coin of happiness, and vice-verse, and in any case, it is too soon spent, and on what, we know not what.
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22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Poetry: "There has never been a civilization without it.", May 12, 2006
This review is from: Poet's Choice (Hardcover)
Always relevant, poetry addresses the great themes of our lives, love, loss, the modern terrors of a post 9/11 world, the scourge of war and a hope for peace. Tackling every human emotion and universal concept, poetry "puts us in touch with ourselves" as we interpret the words of the poets, personalizing and processing. This collection addresses every aspect of life, from the general to the personal perspective, our marginalized society, our place in the grand scheme of things and an ongoing dialog with history from the perspective of our own experiences. The poem is the sound of humanity, the voice of yearning and hope, restoring us to an increasingly alienating world, a private corner of the universe where we find comfort and expression.
Poet's Choice is not just another collection of great poems, but a more intimate format, the author speaking to the landscape of poetry, the language of each selection, shared anecdotes, bits of information that render each work uniquely accessible: Jorge Luis Borges' "Nightingale"; Rabindranath Tagore's "Final Poems"; Nellie Sachs' "Butterfly"; Xuan Quynh's "Summer"; Pablo Neruda's "Body of a Woman" and "Walking Around", to name but a few. This is poetry in its natural context, complex, universally appealing. Thoughtfully assembled, the poets speak the language of the world, past and present, an anthology that begs for a permanent place on a desk or bedside table, an island of personal exploration that expands souls and heals the battered heart.
"And so
it has taken me
all of sixty years
to understand
that water is the finest drink,
and bread the most delicious food,
and that art is worthless
unless it plants
a measure of splendor in people's hearts." (Taha Muhammad Ali)
To absorb the depth of these poems is to appreciate the differences inherent in the world we inhabit, elevating the consciousness and reaching for the finer self, one with the universe in human experience and the source of hope. Luan Gaines/ 2006.
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21 of 23 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A handbook for poetry lovers!, March 16, 2006
This review is from: Poet's Choice (Hardcover)
"Poetry is a necessary part of our planet." Edward Hirsch
Poet and critic, Edward Hirsch offers the reader an opportunity to experience poetry and the world in a new way in his book, Poet's Choice.
Hirsch examines and reflects on the works of more than 130 poets from all over the world and throughout history. He believes poetry is a meaningful way to look at the world and life. The challenge is to experience and appreciate life through the beauty of poetry written by both well-known and obscure poets.
For those who love poetry or have a strong desire to experience the ideas and concepts of life and death and all things in between, Hirsch's comprehensive volume is a treasure. It is worth the journey just to read his perspectives.
Armchair Interviews says: Hirsch's Poet's Choice is not for the beginner unless they have a deep desire to learn to love the written word, what it communicates and how it touches us all.
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